Automobile body



March 1G, lg H B, VAN SlNDEREN 2,933,793

AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed July 11, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 17e/7 ry B, Va WHO/ere ATTORNEYS Mwah w, 1936. H. B. VAN srNDERr-:N 2,@331793 AUTOMOBILE BODY Filed July 11, 1934 2 sheets-snee1 2 o y? A 3 32 INVENTOR Her/ry 5; )fa/7 5MM/ered ATTORN EYS 1 'fAUToMoBILE YBODY' Henry van Sinderen, Washington, Conn. Applioaiionduiyjli. 19.34, serial No. 734,571

This invention relates to improvements in automobile ybodies and its object is to provide a constructionin vwhich the available room may ,be

utilized to a greater extent thanhas'been posr"' sible with former bodies.

d vA further object is' toprovideaf seating arrangement by which allfof the 'passengers will 'have equal comfort and visibility.

n Another oojeotis io provide atop of novel oon- '1o struction, a part Vor all vofV which may be removed and may be disassembled and stored'in parts 'of `the body which are made to receive them. lI have also designed a rear Windshield with van adjustable transparentpanel supportedin a frarne which may be swung down out of the Way'and vse- 'curely held in eitherof its position. I have also provided ample storage room' and have shapedthe rear surfaces .of the body in such a` way as to prevent road dust from followingthe car and to `minimize the air resistance of the body.

These and other objects of the invention will lappear inthe following specification in which I -wi11 describe the invention and point out its novel features in appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of an automobile body Vwhich is made according to and embodiesmy 'invention.- In this-figure the top is up and I'have also indicated in dotted lines the positiongof the 'rear portion fof the top'cover when itgisrolled n l Fig. 2 is a similar viewof'the body with the parts which form thetopv folded and stowed. Parts of the body kare shown' in section in order to illustrateclearly the arrangements for storing the parts of the top. In thisfigure the rear windshield is swung to its down position;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the body shown in the preceeding gures, without its top;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a part of the rear windshield and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the rear windshield n illustrating in detail its hinge-lock in a different position from that in which it is shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a rear elevation .of the transverse bow rof the top frame and one of its supporting posts, and Fig. 8. is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of one of the side bars of the top frame and Fig. 10 is an end View of the same;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of one of the central longitudinal bars of the top frame, and Fig. 12 is an end view of the same;

The chassis, running gear, fenders and parts of Athe body which'cover the engine are of convenitional design and form no part of my invention. Thefront seat Vwith its back 2| and thev front windshield 22 are also similar to those commonly 5 used. On both sides of the front seat are substantially rectangular doors 23; the front edges of which are supported, preferably by four hingesl each, as shown, with latches 24 near their rear edges by which they may be held closed. It is 10 obvious that when these doors are open free, unobstructed access to the front seat is afforded.

` is a flat transverse partition immediately behind the seat back 2| and extending from the 'top of said back to a bottom piece 3|. A similari l5 partition 32, separated from partition 30 eX- tends down to a horizontal plate 33. The central part of this partition 32 is pressed inwardly as at 34. The lower rear end of partition 30 is bent upwardly 'to form a 1p'35. Partitions 30 andl 32""20 v.converge toward the top and beteween them and above plate 33 are guides and operating mechanism for a vertical windshield 36. A storage -compartment 31 isthus formedv between parti- ,rearwardly from the top of lip 35. Its removalc30 givesiraccess to the compartment 31. Y4| is the l back of the rear seat. The central part 42 (Fig.

3) ofthis back is pivoted on links 43 by means of which it may be swung downwardlyv and rearwardly tothe position in which it is shown at535 42A`in Fig. 2.V In this position it affords access to the crank 38 and provides a wide arm rest for the comfort of the passengers on the rear seat.

Doors 44 supported by four hinges at their forward edges provide convenient side entrance to the rear seat without requiring the passengers to climb into the vehicle through the rear end thereof, as is necessary with former constructions. 45 designates the rear door latch.

Pivoted to the deck over the rear end of the 45 back seat is a windshield frame 50. This is arranged to be held in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1, or in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. A glass panel 5| is pivoted in the upper part of this frame at 52. The details of this rear windshield are shown in Figs.

4, 5 and 6. The glass panel may be swung into adjusted positions and held by links 53 pivoted to the edges of the panel with their lower ends arranged to engage with the frame 50. 55

The frame 50 is supported on a bridge 54 by pivots 55. When it is raised, wing-bolts 56 which pass through lugs 51 on the frame and are screwed into the bridge 54 hold it securely in place. This is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. When the frame 50 is lowered the wing-bolts 56 pass through the bridge 54 and are screwed into other lugs 58 on the frame, as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, the frame is rigidly maintained in either of its positions.

The rear end of the body comprises upper and lower convex surfaces 60 and El respectively, which meet in a substantially horizontal line 62 and diverge forwardly. Between the parts` which form the surfaces 6D and 6I are sides 62,vl

63 with outer convex surfaces which converge toward the rear. The meeting edges of the sides with the upper and lower surfaces are rounded.4 This stream line form of the rear end of the body effectively prevents dust from followingY the car` and annoying the passengers on the rear seat and reducesthe air resistance of the body.

The. upper deck which forms the surface 6.0 isprovided with a hinged panel 154A by which ac,-

cess. to a luggage compartment 65 is obtained,

The top frame comprises a pair of side posts 10, the inner surfaces of which are groovedto formv tracks for the middle windshield 36, as shown in Fig. 3. These posts rest upon bases 1I at the ends of the panels 36, 32. They have spaced slotted plates 12 attheir lower ends by which the posts 10 are secured to the bases 1I by means of set screws 13. The transverse bow 14 is affixed to the upper ends of postsY 1Q by means of slotted plates 15 and set screwsr 16. 11 are straps for holding the cover 88 when itv is `rolled up, as shown in Fig. 1.

80v is one of the four side bars of the top frame. Each of them is provided at one end with a rectangular dowel 8| which fits into one of the holes 18 in the transverse bow 14, and with a hole 82 at its other end by which it is fastened to the front or rear windshield by screws 83.

84 is one of two central longitudinal bars. Each is provided at one end with a pail.' of spaced dowels 8.5 which t into holes 19 in the transverse bow 14 and with spaced holes 36 at its other end by which it is fastened to, the front or rear windshield by screws 81.

88 is the cover. This is fastened to the top frame thus described, by means of buttons in the usual manner. Either the front or the back part of the cover may be rolled up and held by the straps 11. In Fig. 1 the back part of the cover is shown in dotted lines as rolled up. When either the front or rear part of the cover is rolled up, the corresponding longitudinal bars of the frame may be removed, if desired. Each of the doors has glass panels which may be raised to close the sides. These are not shown as they are of the usual construction.

When the top frame is disassembled, the transverse bow may be held under the rear deck 6i) immediately in front of the luggage compartment. The posts 10 may be stowed conveniently in side pockets 89 (Fig. 2) under the rear deck and the' longitudinal center and side bars 84 and 80 together with the cover 88 may be stowed in the compartment 31 between the seats.

In addition to the advantages before enumeralted,v it will now be seen that this invention makes a single vehicle available for use in several different forms. It may be used as an open car with or, without thecentral and rear windshields; it may be used as a covered car or with either the front or rear covered, and with its door panels raisedit I nayY be v`entirely closed.

Whatlclaim is;

1"- An utmobile body comprising frontend rear seats extending from, each other in opposite directions, a permanent structure between said seats forming aback. forboth of them, side doors atl the ends of 'both'seats, a closed space back Vofthe rear seat,la.relar deck permanently coverin g said enclosed space,` a. windshield frame pivotally mounted onv said deck and anadjustable transparent; panel. in said frame.

2., An automobile body comprising front and rear seats. extendingfrom each other in opposite directions, sideY doors at .ther ends of Aboth seats, a permanentstructure between said seats form'- ing a back for bothof. them, a windshield vertically movable in saidV permanent structure, means for raising and loweringv said windshield, and a movable sectionv in the part of said structure which formsthe back for one of the seats arranged' tov .provide access. toy said'raising and lowenne means.

3. An'automobile body comprising front and rear seats extending fromv each other in opposite directions, side doorsy at the ends of both seats, a permanent.structurebetween said seats forming a.` back forboth of them, a windshield vertically. movable in said permanent structure, means for raising, and lowering said windshield, and a pivoted sectiorrin4 thev central part of said structure which forms the back for one of the seats arranged tobeA moved into position to form lan arm rest and,V to. proyideaccess to said raising and lowering means...

HENRY B. VAN SINDEREN. 

